Tonightly host Tom Ballard denies sexual assault allegation
Comedian and host of ABC Comedy’s Tonightly, Tom Ballard, has released a statement to strenuously deny a sexual assault allegation which has been circulating on social media.
Ballard said he had been aware of the complaint for around six months, but was compelled to speak out now the allegation had become public.
Ballard said the statement was extremely difficult to write
Ballard – whose ABC Comedy series Tonightly with Tom Ballard is due to return to screens on June 18 – denied the allegation “in the strongest terms possible” and said it was affecting his mental health and work.
“I abhor sexual assault and sexual violence. I absolutely support the philosophy of the #MeToo movement: I believe in supporting victims and ensuring those who have done wrong face justice. But I have not done anything wrong. Any suggestion otherwise is false, deeply distressing and unhelpful,” a statement on his website said.
In a statement published by Fairfax mastheads, the ABC said it was aware of the allegation, as well as Ballard’s denial.
“The ABC takes any allegation of harassment very seriously and does not condone or tolerate any inappropriate behaviour,” the spokesperson told Fairfax. “All ABC employees are made aware of and must abide by our discrimination, bullying and harassment policy at all times.
“We have no further comment to make at this stage.”
Ballard’s full statement can be read below:
Hello.
As a comedian, I am no fan of being taken seriously. But today is an exception. This is an extremely difficult statement for me to write, but it’s necessary.
Over the past six months I have become aware of a claim being made about me. It involves an allegation of sexual assault: an allegation that I completely deny in the strongest terms possible. It fundamentally goes against who I am as a person and everything I believe in. Today that claim was aired publicly.
Four years ago I had a consensual sexual experience with someone. I had absolutely no idea he believed it wasn’t consensual until six months ago. His version of that experience as described on social media is simply not what happened.
This false claim has been spread via social media, text messages and gossip. It has been deeply distressing for me, my friends and my family. It has affected my work and my mental health.
I abhor sexual assault and sexual violence. I absolutely support the philosophy of the #MeToo movement: I believe in supporting victims and ensuring those who have done wrong face justice. But I have not done anything wrong. Any suggestion otherwise is false, deeply distressing and unhelpful.
Thank you for reading this.
Tom
If Tom Ballard abhors sexual violence and assault why idoes he need to resort to swearing so much in his acts, particularly using the “F” word and using sexual references.
I have always believed a great comedian is one who doesn’t need to resort to swearing or blatant sexual references. I have only watched him twice and ended up changing channels.
I know he is not the only comedian who does this – does that mean there isn’t many great ones around any more. Many have foul mouths which make makes the same as others.
I have no idea whether he is guilty of the offence he has been alleged to committed – hope he isn’t.
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When is this nonsense going to stop? I don’t know this man and I’m not familiar with his show, but his career, his peace of mind and his future are being sacrificed on the altar of one accusation of ‘inappropriate behaviour that we’re all supposed to believe without proof.
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May I introduce you to Joan Rivers…
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For all that Ballard comes across as a smug, limited tool, this kind of accusation reinforces the sense that anyone with a public profile is now unfair game.
By the same token, what a tone deaf response:”His version of that experience as described on social media is simply not what happened”. Let’s skip over that self-serving dismissal & not even try to work out what Ballard means by ‘unhelpful’; brand damage fail.
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I believe the “unhelpful” remark is directed at the damage that false accusations cause to the #metoo movement. He’s reinforcing the notion that the accusation is false, and stating that false accusations take something away from the truthful ones.
I’m not personally suggesting his innocence or guilt, simply explaining the context of that particular remark.
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“If Tom Ballard abhors sexual violence and assault why idoes he need to resort to swearing so much in his acts”
How are those two things even related?
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Why does he resort to swearing? what the actual fizznickles? Kaye, the number of times you use the word “I” probably signifies the bubble that you live in.
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If Tom Ballard [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
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@Jim Price. I could not agree more.
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AGREE!
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I hear that he also runs with scissors.
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They are related because of meanings that some people attach to those words and phrases.
Words for gender-specific anatomy used as insults is problematic from a sexual violence perspective because it attaches a negative association to those body parts, and by association, the people who have those parts.
The f-word is particularly troubling because actual sex described as f-ing by one participant is often very focused on the needs of that participant and not the other/s. To be f-ed is almost always negative.
The f-word originally referred only to rape, and vestiges of this meaning remain in the community.
Some people are particularly sensitive to concepts and words that other people find humorous.
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He can swear all he wants the buck stops with Aunty.
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